Two houses off upon arrival at Goodyear Avenue.

Lloyd Mitchell takes in a job on Goodyear Avenue in Buffalo. Video and photos below of companies at work.

Gallery: Buffalo Fire at 635 Goodyewar Avenue

Buffalo Firefighters were met with heavy fire conditions at 633 and 635 Goodyear Ave. Both houses were a total lose. The conditions were so bad that the arriving companies went defensive right away… Both houses were left in a pile of rubble and bulldozed.

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Lloyd Mitchell is a photojournalism student. His main focuses are breaking news and humanities as well as crimes and fires. Lloyd also covers college and professional sports such as minor league baseball. He uses photojournalism to tell a story and to make a difference in his local communities at school in Buffalo and at home in Brooklyn.

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Calls show hindsight and misguided blame. Are we sure we're headed in the right direction when looking for "lessons learned"?

Two Ohio fires in the news were made significant because of their identification as a close call and how the blame is maligned and accepted according to news reporting. Sadly while each one has different reporting they each take a different plan of action to ensure the mistakes are not repeated. Consider as you read this that each is a news report and in the case of every fireground story we don’t have all the details. Still, the highlights should raise eyebrows and prompt questions within your own department.

The first close call occurred in East Cleveland at a house fire on Auburndale Avenue where the East Cleveland and Cleveland fire departments responded. During the course of the fire attack one group of firefighters had advanced a hoseline to the upper floor of a two-story private dwelling. At one point they called for their hoseline to be charged but according to WKYC-TV a radio malfunctioned and the message never went through [1, 2]. Four firefighters ending up having to bailout from the second floor, two onto a porch roof and two straight out a second floor window.

According to a quote from one of the firefighters who bailed out, the four evidently remained in an increasingly untenable position while waiting for water,

“"The fire went from bad to worse in probably about five seconds. We had to make decision," said 15-year veteran firefighter Mike Celiga of his decision to jump out of a window to escape the flames. Celiga dropped to the ground 15 feet below moments after his partner did the same. "I was still on fire when I was coming down," Celiga said.”

Firefighters need to be aware of the sudden changing environment they enter and one way is to maintain an area of refuge. Not that this may or may not have happened in East Cleveland, but that the area of refuge is a common practice that can be easily employed amid all the various and sometimes complicated situational awareness teachings. Best in apartment buildings, we create the area of refuge by forcing the door across from the fire apartment first. This gives members inside an area they can retreat to if the fire violently extends into the public hall, as in a wind-driven fire. Other advantages include having a rough layout of the apartments and a place to properly flake out any excess hose off. For the engine company in a private dwelling, the area of refuge can be the top of the stairs, the floor below or even the front porch. The main benefit of an area of refuge is having a place to back away to when there are problems getting water in the hoseline, or when or call for water fails to go out. There have been instances of firefighters being injured and killed while staying close to the point of attack while waiting for water. An example that should stand out to all engine company firefighters is the death of Cincinnati Firefighter Oscar Armstrong [3]. In this tragic fire Armstrong remained at the edge of the fire room with an uncharged hoseline, all the while others were frantically trying to chase multiple kinks caught up in shrubbery out front, and after numerous requests to have the hoseline charged. The fire continued to grow to the point of flashover, enveloping Williams [4, 5].

The East Cleveland fire also points out two other significant behaviors, the unpreparedness to face a line of duty death and the reliance on technology over behavior to be a solution. Deputy Fire Chief Rick Wilcox said that he had never seen a close call like this in his 21 years as a firefighter. That may be interpreted as a good thing, a positive attribute to both his leadership and the department. However, in this day and age, no company or chief officer should be unprepared to face a close call or line of duty death. It is not being fatalistic to have this view, but it helps to be prepared for what to expect when the fireground goes horribly bad. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation provides excellent resources for chief officers in what to expect when facing a tragedy [6].

The solution to East Cleveland’s radio problem was the immediate purchase of 15 new radios and batteries, rushed to the field well before their scheduled in service date of May. Add to these new radios an urgency to use FEMAS grant of $100,000 to purchase a new communications system. While new radios and batteries can make operations and communication easier, they do little to rectify any actual behavioral problems. Suppose you have a group of firefighters who extend themselves a bit too far in the fire building. At each working fire they come out with gear severely impacted by thermal conditions. Melted front-pieces and eye shields, gear discolored because of flame impingent, SCBA facepieces bubbled. No amount of better protecting PPE is going to keep that group of firefighters safer and no amount never will. The best course of correction is to retrain them on their behavior, identify the faults and teach better methods for working within that increasingly untenable atmosphere. Relying blindly on technology without incorporating behavioral changes is like giving an M40 to someone who has never fired a rifle in their lives and expecting them to put every round in the 10-ring. It’s not going to happen.

“[East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton] also credited the firefighters' experience and training with being able to avoid a tragedy.” We can easily pass this off as a politician speaking about something he doesn’t know but that statement has also been said by many fire chiefs as well in similar situations. Lately, and considering what we see in news and our own departments, we may be better off to replace “experience and training” with “lucky”. Reliance on training is not be simply put off, but we have to ask ourselves when we read, see, or experience close calls was it training that saved them or got them in that spot in the first place. I placed a poll on FireRescueMagazine/FirefighterNation’s Facebook page once asking about training, how much is done on basics, fire behavior, and saving our own. The least responses were for fire behavior, surprising that this is the one area where greater awareness is needed in order to “save our own”. Sadly, I’ve heard it said and read from others that fire behavior training, minus the popular flashover chambers, is boring. It’s easy to see why bailout training is as popular as is it since the majority of it is a hands-on lesson. That’s the problem we face, honestly asking if some of our training is unintentionally giving a “false hope” that we can survive nearly every situation. That is not the exact situation in East Cleveland, but whenever a close call is indicative of being mostly behavioral problems then we have to honestly ask what our training really did as a solution and why can’t it work as a preventive measure?

The second fire occurred among Colerain Township and Forest Park. A house fire on Sudbury Drive and sent one firefighter almost plunging through the roof. According to FOX19 a chimney fire had extended into the attic. As firefighters stepped off a ladder and moved across the roof to make a vent cut, one firefighter fell through a weakened spot only to catch himself with his arms. Interestingly before this happened the incident commander had tried numerous times to raise them on the radio to evacuate the roof [7].

“In today's fire, Colerain Township Battalion Fire Chief Randy Ellert says Forest Park firefighters climbed onto the roof the burning home. Ellert says he knew the pair was in trouble. "We observed them on the roof…we were questioning them being up there based on the fire conditions. As we tried to get through we got six or seven busy signals and we weren't able to tell them to get off the roof and the gentleman disappeared. It was one of those deals where we watched it and we really couldn't do anything."”

Four years ago the Colerain Township fire department experienced the tragic loss of two firefighters during a house fire [8,9]. As reported by the news article, the awareness of the constantly changing, modern fireground was foremost in the incident commander’s mind. Ellert says a burning roof always has the potential for danger. "Residential homes typically fail within six to ten minutes of heavy fire impingement is what we had here and based on that the roof was probably weakened and as he stepped off to the peak he fell through and then caught himself which is very fortunate."

The difference here is that the radios are not the point of blame. Coincidently, the radios acted as they were designed, providing a “busy signal” when an important message was trying to be transmitted. Part of this difference lies in the reporting. The East Cleveland story faults the radios, while the Colerain Township faults the judgment of the firefighters on the roof. The similarities between the two are the firefighters’ behaviors.

Radios and personal protective gear are extremely valuable, however they are only tools and the biggest error in their use, aside from lack of, is intending mistaking them as a blank check our body can cash in when our ignorance or stupidity takes us too far. There is no tool, big or small, that has yet been designed to operate independent of the firefighter and provide for his or her safety. Think it over, go through your firehouse and consider everything large and small:

Apparatus. Designed and built to keep you safe, we still crash them when operating them incorrectly.

Pumps. Providing you the GPMs to knock down the fire, they don’t chase kinks and they can’t fix a broken standpipe.

PPE. It only works when you wear all of it, and yet we see many firefighters on the fireground sporting “experience makeup”.

SCBA. Like PPE it only works when you use it. On your face, breathing the bottle air is the only time it is protecting your lungs.

Bailout Kits. Great for when you’re at the window, but we tend to forget they are for “bailing out”, aka last resort. What about training on how to avoid being in that spot first?

Radios. Only as good as the battery inside and what you want to say.

You can throw radios at it all day long but it's not going to get any better. (Wayne Barrall/FITHP.net photo)

Don't mistake this as intentionally critiquing the two Ohio fires, as there is no perfect fireground and even the best news coverage can be missing vaulable details. Instead use it as a lesson for reading comprehension the next time you read and watch the details of a close call. Ask yourself, 'is what they are reporting the real issue?' 'Is what everyone is sharing on Facebook missing the true point, the real lessons?'

References

1. East Cleveland: Firefighters Escape Burning House after Radio Fails, WKYC-TV

2. East Cleveland Firefighter Who Jumped from Second Story Window Talks to News Channel 5, NewsNet5

3. Line of Duty Death Enhanced Report, Oscar Armstrong III, March 21, 2004, Laidlaw Investigation Committee

4. Ibid, page 35

5. Career Firefighter Dies and Two Career Firefighters Injured in Flashover During a House Fire – Ohio, NIOSH, March 31, 2003

6. National Fallen Firefighter Foundation Training Opportunities

7. Firefighter Falls While Battling Colerain Twp. Fire, Fox 19

8. Career Captain and Part-Time Firefighter Die in Residential Floor Collapse – Ohio, NIOSH, April 8, 2008

9. Line of Duty Death Fact Finding Committee Preliminary Report, Colerain Township Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, July 11, 2008

Bill Carey is the daily news and blog manager for Elsevier Public Safety (FireRescue Magazine/Firefighter Nation, JEMS and LawOfficer sites.) Bill also manages the FireEMSBlogs.com network and is a former volunteer lieutenant with the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland.

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The citation is proof that people can survive even in the most unthinkable conditions.

The FDNY announced its 2012 Medal Recipients this week. The highlight of this year is the awarding of the Harry M. Archer medal, given out every three years to a member having performed an act great personal risk during the previous three years.

"Special Order No. 180, which was dated October 4, 1920, reads as follows: “A medal, to be known as the ‘Harry M. Archer Medal’ has been donated by Dr. Herman L. Reis and is to be awarded every third year to such member of the uniformed force of the Fire Department as may have, during the three years preceding such award, been the recipient of one or more medals which are now given or may hereafter be given, to the members of the uniformed force. Such award shall be made by selection from among said medal winners during the said three years preceding such award for the performance in the judgment of the Fire Commissioner and the Chief of Department of the most meritorious service or act of heroism or bravery.” Legends in the Fire Department of New York begin with members who win medals. Theirs are the stories of danger, fear, courage, honor and the greatest degree of self-satisfaction. Firefighters are brave, dedicated and loyal. Respect comes in many ways to those who fight fires. The highest honor that can be bestowed on a New York City Firefighter is to be awarded the Doctor Harry M. Archer Medal. It’s reserved for the truly bravest of the brave."

We are reposting Dave LeBlanc's article on the Brooklyn fire where Firefighter Peter G. Demontreux (L.132) and others placed themselves in that position of great personal risk. – Bill

“With Ladder 132’s inside team still waiting for a hoseline and unable to enter the stairwell, Demontreux entered the third-floor window from the aerial and began his search. Demontreux was able to search the front room but was forced to retreat to the window because of the high-heat condition and zero visibility. Firefighter Myers of Rescue 2, on the aerial ladder, then vented the windows in the front of the apartment to allow some of the blistering heat and smoke to escape. This allowed Demontreux to resume his search. With conditions improved slightly, he was able to make his way to the rear of the apartment.

FF Richard Myers of Rescue 2, Deputy Chief Robert Strong of Division 11, FF Peter Demontreux of Ladder 132 and FF Charles Dodenhoff of Rescue 2.

When Demontreux reached the rear, he discovered Mr. Mantony hanging out a rear window to escape the heat. Realizing that there were no fire escapes or portable ladders in the rear Demontreux, without regard for his own safety, determined that the only way out was the window through which he entered. Through the high heat and zero visibility he led Mantony back toward the front window. When they were halfway through the apartment, the entire third floor exploded into flames, engulfing both men and setting them ablaze. Myers, still on the aerial at the window, immediately transmitted a Mayday, believing that Demontreux and the victim could be lost in the explosion of fire.

Demontreux, now on fire himself, made the conscious and calculated decision that he would not leave Mantony behind. Although he found himself in a fully involved room and at extreme personal risk, he stayed with Mantony and continued to assist him to the window and the aerial device for escape. When they reached that window, Demontreux again displayed incredible selflessness and bravery by resisting the urge to save himself first. Ignoring his immediate personal danger, intense heat, and extreme personal risk, he pushed Mantony out of the window onto Ladder 132’s waiting aerial ladder before diving out of the window onto the ladder himself.” [1]

At the FDIC, Fireman 1st Grade Peter Demontreux was awarded the Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award for the action described above. Fireman Demontreux action certainly are above and beyond the call of duty, but they also represent action taken by a firefighter that was trained in a Department that is committed to saving lives when buildings are on fire.

It is interesting that from the same Department, there comes a concept called victim survivability profiling. Developed as part of an Executive Fire Officer Project at the Nation Fire Academy by Captain Marsar of the FDNY, survivability profiling is a concept where the “go/no go” decision to commit personnel to search is altered by the condition found. Captain Marsar describes his profiling “as the art of examining a situation and making an intelligent and informed decision based on known events, or circumstances, to determine if civilians can survive existing fire and smoke conditions and to determine whether to commit firefighters to life-saving and interior operations. Based on the likelihood of civilian survivability, this concept goes beyond the tendency to justify risk whenever we respond to an occupied structure fire.” [2]

By reading the description above, one would wonder if the heat was too intense for the firefighter to continue, what chance would a civilian have, even after the apartment was vented? Yet Fireman Demontreux stayed true to his training and his Department’s commitment to save lives.

Survivability profiling was born out of a concern for firefighter deaths while searching for victims. Yet the statistics don’t bear out the concern. For the year 2007 cited by Marsar, 47 firefighters died at structure fires where only 2 victims were killed. [3] What is the correlation between Firefighter deaths and civilian deaths? How many victims were saved? At what point in the operation did the firefighter deaths occur? Certainly we all must do everything within our power to limit the risks that firefighters are exposed to, but a wholesale change in mission? In his article “%$#@ "Victim Survivability Profiling"; Do Your Primary Search”, Chris Brennan argues that profiling isn’t all that different than the size up we are supposed to being doing, as an ongoing assessment of conditions. But he also points out some of the flaws with assuming victims may not be alive, just by the amount of smoke or fire in the building. Chris also points out the other part of our mission to protect property. [4]

Why We Search? on Backstep Firefighter has links to over 40 examples in 2011 of supposedly vacant buildings having live victims. Many would argue, in the name of Victim Survivability Profiling, that we shouldn’t search vacant buildings, that it places firefighters in too much risk, for too little reward. Some have even questioned the “worth” of homeless people in this same vein.

In his second article "Survivability Profiling – continuing discussion" , Chris Brennan posted an email that he received from Captain Marsar in reply to his first article. Captain Marsar states, “Survivability Profiling is a “concept.” And honestly, as a career interior -structural firefighter, not one that I am even 100% comfortable with. However, it was my intention to stir conversation and yes, even debate, on the subject which you so readily acknowledge.” [5] The concern with this statement is that this “concept” is now becoming doctrine. It is listed as the Number 2 item in the IAFC “Rules of Engagement” poster. [6] It was also cited as a failure in the Homewood, IL NIOSH report, NIOSH Report 2010-10. Yet by Marsar’s own words, it is still a “concept”, with articles discussing practical applications yet to be published.

The citation above is proof that people can survive even in the most unthinkable conditions. When we signed up for this job, no one forced us to do it. We swore, of sound mind and body, to place our lives between fire and our victims. We swore to be our brother’s keeper. If we try, we can find all kinds of excuses that could keep us from this mission. But at the end of the day, we owe it to ourselves and the people we serve to be well trained and well prepared each and every time we go out the door. It remains to be seen if VSP is another tool to be placed in our toolbox.

Congratulations to Fireman Peter Demontreux of 132 Truck for a job well done.

References
1. FDNY's Demontreux Awarded 2011 Ray Downey Courage and Valor Award, Fire Engineering, FDIC, March 2011
2. Survivability Profiling: How Long Can Victims Survive in a Fire? Fire Engineering, Marsar, July 2010
3. Survivability Profiling: Are the Victims Savable? Fire Engineering, Marsar, December 2009
4. "%$#@ "Victim Survivability Profiling"; Do Your Primary Search" The Fire Service Warrior, Brennan, October 2010
5. "Survivability Profiling – continuing discussion" The Fire Service Warrior, Brennan, November 2010
6. IAFC Rules of Engagement

All comments must include your name or the name of your department. Either one, it makes no difference. If you don’t, well we can do nothing for you.

Kensington house fire highlights basement fire and some other things.

Montgomery County, MD firefighters responded to a house fire at 12010 Valleywood Drive in the Kensington area. The video below shows some of the initial actions; one line stretched to the basement, another to Division One, and the trucks throwing ladders.

Take look at how you operate at basement fires. Is the first line going to the first floor and interior stairs before the size-up is done? Is another company coming in from an exterior entrance while you're trying to make the stairs? Have the latest related news and information on fire flow paths caused you to think twice before using Side Alpha as the point of attack?

References:

"Tactics for Basement Fires", Jakubowski, FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation June 2008

"Engine Company Size-Up and IAP Development", Jakubowski, FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation May 2010

"Wind-Driven Fire Injures Maryland Firefighters at House Fire", FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation, February 2012

"UL, NIST Study Fire Behavior in Modern Dwellings", FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation, January 2012

P.S. CHASE KINKS!

Don't leave it for the Wagon Driver.

Bill Carey is the daily news and blog manager for Elsevier Public Safety (FireRescue Magazine/Firefighter Nation, JEMS and LawOfficer sites.) Bill also manages the FireEMSBlogs.com network and is a former volunteer lieutenant with the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland.

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Across the county, one department's problem is gradually becoming every department's problem.

A Sunday edition of Bill Schumm’s Firegeezer blog had a story about the problems with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. At one time the LAFD was considered to be one of the best fire departments in the country, with a class 1 ISO rating, well trained personnel and great equipment. While they still have their class 1 rating, the LAFD has fallen on hard times with budget cuts, station brownouts that cause longer response times, and apparatus maintenance issues.

The politicians have tried to “spin” their side of the story, saying that public safety and the safety of the firefighters of the LAFD hasn’t been affected. There are those members of the LA media that are speaking out and telling the truth.

It isn’t only happening in the City of Angels, it is happening in other parts of the country from big metropolitan fire departments to the small town volunteer fire departments. For example, look at the debacle in Washington D.C. Fire Department ( I will always call it the "DCFD" ) where the Chief of Department is more concerned with changing the Department’s name to "DC FEMS" and changing the patches and lettering on uniforms than he is with the safety of his personnel. Two DCFD firefighters suffered burn injuries while fire rated uniform shirts sat in a warehouse gathering dust because they have the DCFD logo on them. Madness!

In Philadelphia rotating brownouts have caused longer response times giving fires a much larger head start and consequently more firefighters are getting injured. The PFD Brass’ solution: punish the firefighters for getting hurt and reporting on duty injuries. Insanity!

In a small city in Ohio a friend of mine has been beating his head against the wall dealing with politicians who just don’t get it. His department has closed a station and is down nine personnel, yet they are expected to “do more with less”. Ludicrous! In the LAFD story, there was a quote that stuck in my mind… ""When I first came on, retirement was a sad day for the retiree. Now it seems like the retiree can't leave soon enough."

There are many experienced personnel in the fire service all over the country who feel the same way and are making plans to retire before their pensions get raided and downgraded. They are taking with them the knowledge and experience of what was considered the “war years”.

The politicians don't give a fat rat’s ass because they see a retirement as one less position they have to fund, and dump the workload on whoever remains. Who suffers? The firefighters who now have to do more with less and have less time to train to protect themselves, the public and the taxpayers who come to expect a prompt and adequate response only to get shortchanged… burnt property does not generate tax revenue, drags down the values of the surrounding properties and because there is less money coming into the community's coffers, more cuts are made, and the downward spiral continues.

When the crap hits the fan the politicians like to blame the very people they gutted like a fish on the dock for the problem if things go bad. In major disasters they show up to "be with the troops", giving them a pat on the back for a photo op or a 30 second blurb on the evening news then go back to business as usual.

We have to get our act together to break this vicious cycle, or there will not be an American Fire Service to pass on to the next generation of firefighters.

Ron Ayotte is a Deputy Chief of the Marlborough (MA) Fire Department and employee to the Support Services division of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Service/Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

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More on Globe's WASP technology.

It is late at night and the battalion chief is tugging at his collar as the evening chill increases. Next to him at the command post, the EMS duty officer and Safety officer are watching laptop monitors, one covered mostly with small green squares and another showing a rough sketch of a building with green figures moving about.

As the battalion chief is listening to radio reports of the progress companies are making he begins preparing for his second progress report. Fire on the first floor of this commercial occupancy began in the rear loading dock area. Companies on Side Charlie reported heavy fire when they took their positions, but the knockdown was quick and companies are doing searches and chasing extension.

Just before he presses the button on his handie-talkie the EMS duty officer reaches out to him, “Check this out, Ladder 104 Can, he’s spiked his heart rate and respiration.” The chief glances over and can see that the color of a box labeled 'Ladder 104 Can' has gone from green to yellow. “They should be on the second floor,” says the chief as he leans farther in and looks at the screen with the building and moving figures. On what appears to be the top of two floors, one figure is moving sporadically, in circles at times. “Let’s get him and get him out of there,” the chief says to everyone at the command post. He waves the officer of Rescue 4 over, as his crew is standing ready nearby as the RIC. “Ladder 104 Canman looks like he is disoriented and I’m going to send you in. He looks to be on the second floor, Side Charlie, Quadrant B, near the stairs but he’s moving around in circles. Lemme check with the officer if he can reach him.”

Suddenly, before the battalion chief can raise Ladder 104’s officer, the radio crackles, the voice panting, near breaking emotionally, “Mayday! Mayday! Ladder 104 Hook and Can…lost on the …floor, near Side…Side, I don't know where I…can’t find my way out. It’s getting hot…I’m low on…Help…”

In an earlier article we shared with you the new technology from Globe © Manufacturing Company called WASP (Wearable Advanced Sensor Platform) presented at FDIC. This new technology is an integrated system combing physiological monitoring and location tracking into PPE. This latest advancement in tracking technology has been developed enough to the point where this may be available to the fire service later this year. Already a few departments have participated in field testing and more are expected to participate in future opportunities.

Sensors integrated into the inside of a wearable duty shirt recording physiological data combined with location tracking technology integrated into the riding pants transmit to a wireless device provide hands free safety data. (Author photos)

The technology at the point of use begins here with a duty shirt, describe by WASP developers and firefighters in the field tests as quite comfortable. The shirts record the physiological data, through technology developed by Zephyr Technologies. TRX Systems provides the tracking location in GPS denied locations. From there, using Blue Tooth technology, all of this information is transmitted through the firefighter’s portable radio to a data terminal most likely located at the incident command post or nearby. Not intended for the incident commander, but a sub-level command officer such as within an EMS or Safety sector, the information presented is the wellness and location of each firefighter on the scene, in real time.

Combined, and not interfering with, the firefighter’s portable radio (left) vital information is transmitted and recorded, even if the radio fails to transmit messages. Jonathan Woodward of Zephyr Technologies points out actual heart rate and respirations of Atlanta Fire Rescue firefighters participating in a field test of the WASP system. (Author photo left, Globe image right)

Recognizing that heart attacks are a primary nature of death among firefighters, the WASP technology is the first sophisticated advance notice on the fireground. Currently, unless the firefighter in trouble can quickly recognize his or her impeding medical situation, incident commanders must wait for that firefighter to transmit his or her need to the incident commander. With WASP, the developing situation can be identified before the mayday or worse, the realization that a firefighter is down and missing. With a sector officer able to pay attention to data, alert to changes identified by earlier established levels, a firefighter (or company officer for insurance) can be contacted to make sure he or she is operating okay. Should the firefighter be stricken the tracking information can provide a reasonable direction inside the structure of their location, even without the use of pre-plan information.

Mike Mordecai, Globe’s Director of Business Development, said in a presentation to FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com contributors and bloggers, that the WASP technology is not a total solution to reducing firefighter line of duty deaths, but an important tool using the latest technology to provide firefighters real-time data in order to rescue a downed firefighter – or – get to him before he goes down.

FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation: "Globe Showcases Physiological Monitoring and Tracking System"

As with all technological advances and deployments the biggest question is cost. While WASP is still in the later stages of development there cannot be a true quote made other than in the thousands. Considering that additional development may introduce changes that lower the cost, as well as the long-term benefits of the technology, a logical realization would say that WASP can prove itself worth every penny spent.

An area for WASP that I was interested in was the culture acceptance. When I wrote about the new slim-profile SCBA, “Stick with the Old, Toss the New”, I was surprised by the readers who refused advances in SCBA that allowed for lighter, smaller packs. Many minds were stuck in a "tradition" rut based on looks and limited reasoning. The WASP may experience the same dissent particularly as firefighters, officer and chiefs try to pin down costs, staffing to interpret the data and data confidentiality. While at FDIC I asked about these subjects with a group of Boston firefighters and officers who had stopped at Globe’s booth. According to each of them, the issues were never of great concern. Instead, to their department’s credit, they compared the potential cost of WASP to what is already being paid out in disability and other pensions, as well as time, for firefighters who have experienced medical problems on the fireground. Boston participated in a field test of WASP as well and according to those firefighters, they are looking forward to doing more tests. Their view is that while WASP may not change individual behaviors, the information given to chiefs at the scene has such great value, especially if a firefighter goes down, that it cannot be ignored.

Other areas that I notice will be questioned by many are the viewable data (how and by who) and tracking. With the physiological monitoring, the display should a small number of individuals wearing the shirt. Of course, no fireground is operating with a maximum of six personnel. The larger view of the data can be expanded to show all personnel with the shirts in a general color-coded view. Who watches this monitor? That is done by, as stated above and explained by WASP developers, some sector officer specific to firefighter safety, and not the incident commander. This will work well with larger departments but the trouble comes with smaller departments of limited command staffing. Will the data show everyone’s name? No. For display purposes, names were used, but on the fireground, Globe intends that departments would use riding assignment/positions as the identification. Of course, this would make sense, especially given how we communicate on the fireground (or should).

Real time tracking can give the command post and rapid intervention team a head start on where to go when looking for a downed firefighter. Training officers can also use recorded data in lessons learned training, especially when investigating close calls. (Author photo)

The tracking and location data is amazing. Instead of having to rely on a repeater system as with other tacking technology firefighters using WASP can have their movements tracked in real time and recorded. Obviously the benefit to this is exponential. Not only can we use this with the LUNAR report, but we can possibly reduce the time it may take to find the downed firefighter and remove him or her to the outside. It is all speculative of course but I believe that you cannot honestly deny the possibilities that the technology presents.

Combine this with the WASP’s ability to record up to 24 hours of data and the ability to learn more of our behavior on the fireground, especially when departments must investigate fires where close calls occurred, is exponential. Here with the tracking data you can marry the actual steps to the individual interviews for a sharper picture and greater detail of lessons learned.

It is amazing, personally, to think of this age of technology we are experiencing in the fire service. When I started, the greatest safety device being put in use was the man-saver bars on the backstep and jump seats. The assistant chiefs, captains and lieutenants on duty had the only radios and there were no hydraulic forcible entry tools or chain saws for ventilation. Now, in 2012, we are getting closer and closer to better firefighter tracking and monitoring of physical health – before something bad happens.

Can anyone honestly argue against this?

Globe's WASP from Elsevier Public Safety on Vimeo.

Bill Carey is the daily news and blog manager for Elsevier Public Safety (FireRescue Magazine/Firefighter Nation, JEMS and LawOfficer sites.) Bill also manages the FireEMSBlogs.com network and is a former volunteer lieutenant with the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland.

We encourage and support constructive dialogue and debate. View our comment policy.

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Firefighter tracking, health monitoring and PPE combine for a proactive approach to your safety.

At FDIC Globe presented to attendees, and later this evening to FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation contributors and bloggers, the WASP project. WASP stands for Wearable Advanced Sensor Platform and is a joint effort among many corporations incorporating physiological monitoring and 3-D firefighter locating into the firefighter’s PPE compliment.

See "Globe Showcases Physiological Monitoring and Tracking System"

With a focus on improving PPE as well as providing additional means to help lower the number of firefighter fatalities, Globe and partners have built upon the developments borne out of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s firefighter tracking research to incorporate real time health monitoring and physical location in a multi-component system.

WASP is built from collaboration of five main elements:

Globe Manufacturing Company, LLC —Management, Product Development, Manufacturing and Distribution

Zephyr Technology Corporation—Physiological Monitoring Technology

TRX Systems, Inc.—Location/Tracking Technology

Skidmore College / Health and Exercise Sciences Department—Physiology Science

Propel, LLC—Textile Development

Before getting into the detailed specifics, take a look at this video of testing done with Atlanta Fire Rescue in February 2012

Globe's WASP from Elsevier Public Safety on Vimeo.

Before the tests in Atlanta, researchers also worked with Skidmore College faculty conducting field tests on the WASP system. Funded through a Department of Army National Protection Center grant, the components were tested for accuracy and effectiveness within the physiology and tracking goals.

During the evening’s presentation, Globe Firesuits Director of Business Development Mark Mordecai presented the members of the project, explained the development in research and fielded questions from the guests. I was fortunate to have time earlier in the afternoon to speak with Jonathan Woodward of Zephyr about WASP and learn how it has developed and continuing to develop. Members of the Boston Fire Department at the Globe booth, who had participated in earlier field tests, also freely offered positive reviews of the system and intent to conduct additional testing.

WASP has significant promise as an early warning for medical problems, a continual locator system of firefighters and, with its data recording capabilities, an additional means of documentation for lessons learned in the event of a interior fireground mishap. Is WASP an all-in-one, all-solution tool? No. Just like many of the tools we have, and the ones to come, WASP will rely on personal behavior to be fully effective. However, with its physiological and tracking capability, WASP can be a highly valuable asset as it offers a proactive stance toward helping reduce line of duty deaths on the fireground.

Next: More on how WASP Works

Related:

Skidmore Professors Collaborate to Advance Firefighter Safety

Sudden Cardiac Events in the Fire Service: Understanding the Cause and Mitigating the Risk

Integrated Firefighter Location and Physiological Monitor, WPI

Bill Carey is the daily news and blog manager for Elsevier Public Safety (FireRescue Magazine/Firefighter Nation, JEMS and LawOfficer sites.) Bill also manages the FireEMSBlogs.com network and is a former volunteer lieutenant with the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland.

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